


One Step Closer

by River_Nix



Series: Red Marking [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Mafia AU, Assassin Ric Grayson, Crime Boss Jason Todd, Dick Grayson is Not Nightwing, Dick and Ric Grayson are twins, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jason Todd is Red Hood, M/M, Multi, Prostitute Dick Grayson, Protective Koriand'r - Freeform, Protective Roy Harper, Ric Grayson is a Talon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:15:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29913336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/River_Nix/pseuds/River_Nix
Summary: Having someone’s face didn’t give you an identity, it didn’t give you a name. It only gave you another step to climb.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Ric Grayson, Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Dick Grayson/Jason Todd/Ric Grayson, John Grayson/Mary Grayson, Koriand'r & Jason Todd, Ric Grayson/Jason Todd, Roy Harper & Jason Todd, Roy Harper & Koriand'r & Jason Todd
Series: Red Marking [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113110
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	One Step Closer

It had taken a while. 

Longer than Jason wanted to remain patient for, but he had no reason to doubt Kori’s conviction. If she said she needed time to get him results that would please him, then she’d get that time - no matter how long. As long as the search didn’t exceed a month, then he could afford to be more lenient with his necessities. Roy had assured him that the damage done to Talon would slow him down a considerable amount; gifted assassin or not. It left them an unknown amount of time to trap and capture him, but the unease that came with the  _ unknown  _ bit lessened with each day that he was inactive. Really, if he was nearly as high of a risk, then there was no doubt in Jason’s mind that he would have paid them all an unpleasant visit. 

Luckily for them, what started out looking like a hopeless endeavor of identification only took the following week or so to deal with. Kori had some help of course, more hands on deck meant that it took less time to skim through the various records of individuals accessible through their system. And what came up was still a bit far-fetched with how Talon’s identity was still technically erased - leaving the DNA his blood revealed as the only way to connect him to the outside world. In the end, it was still better than nothing though. 

“Mary and John Grayson. A pair of rather beloved performers, from what I’ve read.” Kori moved to the side as the monitor flashed to life. It took a few moments for the pictures to clear up, but it didn’t stop her from talking. “Originally performers from Haly’s Circus before they died. Some mechanics failed during one of their performances and they fell. Foul play has been suspected, but it was difficult to prove without proper witnesses.” 

Roy adjusted himself so that he could lean forward a bit, making sure not to put too much pressure on either of his arms. One of them was still suffering from horrible aches while the other had stitches that couldn’t afford to be disturbed. “If there weren’t any witnesses, then how did the idea of foul play even come up?” Knowing Gotham and the horrible trouble that brewed inside on a daily basis, it wouldn’t be surprising to find this to be a murder. However, this could have genuinely been non-intentional. Truly a tragic accident, for all they knew. 

“For one, the equipment that the Graysons’ used was checked before they were allowed to go on. That event that  _ was  _ witnessed.” Kori didn’t understand much about the engineering behind...whatever device...that the Graysons used. However, when reading over the interviews that she had managed to dig up from old police records, she could deduce (from common sense) that the only way that the wires failed was a result of intentional disturbance. “The only way it could have failed when they were performing was if someone went back and tampered with them before the show.” 

“Alright...but what business would any hitman have with a circus though?” As harsh as that sounded, Roy couldn’t think of any answers on the top of his head. Hell, he hadn’t really heard much about Haly’s Circus until now. And he’d like to think that he was pretty informed about anything, like a gang-related murder, that fell into this type of category. “This sounds a bit strange…”

“A police report claims that authorities had been called on Tony Zuuco.” Kori’s upper-lip curled as she clicked to the next slide. Oddly enough, her sneer almost looked pretty from where Roy and Jason were sitting. Though, that would be ignoring the flash in her eyes as ‘Tony Zucco’ appeared on the screen. “He was harassing the circus’ owner and the Grayson family about paying him protection money if they didn’t want to come under fire themselves.” It was an ugly photo, if anyone had to be honest with themselves. The guy’s eyes were wide with, what could only be assumed, fear. His hair was messy and tangled, falling off of his face with the grace of a baby elephant. His mouth was partially open, most likely due to him yelling something as...whatever scene he was in...played out. The suit that he had been wearing was crinkled and dirty. 

“Ugh.” Jason didn’t normally judge on appearance, but he also had some background information on this guy to back up his dislike. If only because of who Tony Zucco used to be. The guy had been successful for his time period as a mafia boss, but his downfall came from getting too cocky. He had been known for pushing vulnerable companies into accepting things like  _ protection  _ under threat of becoming victims of Zucco himself while larger companies were forced into accepting things like  _ insurance payments.  _ Jason didn’t fully understand how that worked. Not even to this day. It worked, somehow? Yet, with how quickly he was expanding, it could only be expected that Zucco fell into the trap of pushing past the safe bounds set out for him. 

The guy threw it all away to make some quick bucks. It was pitiful, if Jason had anything to say about it. He understood, just as well as any other crime boss, that you needed cash for certain things. Weapons, for safety and for conquering. Territory, a secure place for yourself and your family to return to when business was stripped away. Trading, contacts and resources to exchange for goods that could help them continue on with their own businesses. But one shouldn’t get greedy. Indulgence was one thing, but gluttony was a sin for a reason. 

(Not to mention that he was into some heavily...unsavory things...that Jason couldn’t condone. Had he been alive to this day, he would have put Zucco down himself in a heartbeat.) 

“I’m guessing that if he didn’t get what he wanted, then what’s what caused the suspicions?” 

Kori nodded at Roy, clicking to the next slide. Contrary to the first one, it showed the entire Grayson family instead of the two victims. One female (presumably the mother) and three males; likely a father and two sons. At a glance, it looked like a try-hard family portrait where the first thing that could be noticed is how happy they all looked. They were all so bright, not just by their uniforms, but by their characters. Perched high on their little pedestals, prepared to make their leaps, everyone had smiles on their faces. And while the photo could only tell so much, the slight crinkle to their eyes and the way that they all waved outwards to the unseen crowd had Jason assuming that it must have been genuine. They looked like a happy family of four, enjoying the way that the lights of the circus shined on them and gave way to their routine. 

If they were ever in Gotham, he couldn’t imagine that happiness lasting for very long. The city had a way of corrupting everything it touched, dragging even the purest of beings into its shadows for consumption and recreation. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Grayson were forced to leave their children behind after they fell.” Kori turned a bit as she clicked to the next slide. The faces were blurry, so pixelated that it was almost impossible to make out any clear features that could be used to distinguish one face from another. Judging from the condition of it and the lack of color, he could assume that Kori must have picked it out from an old newspaper or magazine. No one who posted information online would leave everything so bland and devoid of key details. “Haly’s Circus was a traveling business, so they couldn’t stay in Gotham for too long despite the tragedy. However, the Graysons’ children have been noticeably missing from any further news articles about the foundation. When I looked into it, their fates came out blank.” 

Jason raised a brow. “Seriously?” He leaned towards the screen, trying to make sense out of that. It didn’t seem that far-fetched, knowing that the right type of people could do some considerable damage if ever given access to the internet. Also, the possibility that the children could have gone into witness protection was high and could be used to explain some missing details. At the same time, there being nothing? Coming up blank? Even the police couldn’t bring themselves to go that far, especially since this was a  _ traveling _ circus. “No records of being put into orphanages or foster care systems?” 

Kori shook her head, looking slightly distressed. “I couldn’t even find their birth certificates.” She shut the screen off and retook her original seat, fixing Roy and Jason with a tired look. “The only thing I can tell you is that, according to the blood samples, Talon is biologically related to the Graysons. And when I looked them up, John and Mary were the most popular results.” 

Jason had no reason to doubt that Kori tried her hardest to piece together some sort of story that would satisfy all of their curiosities. With how much time he spent with her behind a screen, how much time Roy had spent with her, it wasn’t like she was slacking off. On the other hand, the fact that all of that came down to another story with more holes than there were connections was equivalent to someone pissing down your throat. 

The obvious answer could be that Talon was one of John and Mary’s missing children. They had the DNA to prove that he was related and there was that small detail that both boys had been missing from the action after their parents died. If Jason knew anything about The Court of Owls, then he knew that they had involved themselves with hiding anything that could trace them. But didn’t that just open up another can of worms? They couldn’t pinpoint his age or compare his face to the faces of the boys in the blurry pictures. For all they knew, Talon could have been a brother or sister to John or Mary themselves and just not mentioned. It was as Kori had said, they were the two most popular searches - but a family wasn’t often only composed of one unit. There could be uncles, cousins, and all sorts of other lines that connected back to the family tree. Not having an age or a face to compare meant that there was no guarantee with anything. 

Not until they found Talon. 

It took a few moments of tense silence, but Roy eventually figured that he may as well crack the ice. “Let’s say, hypothetically, Talon was one of those missing children.” He gestured for Kori to hand him the remote. When he was in control of the screen, he had it switched back on so that he could bring Talon’s face up. The way it was bloodied and bruised only interfered slightly with the overall quality, but photoshop existed for a reason. They could smudge out some details and replace some broken skin once they had someone to really look at. “What did Haly’s Circus have to do with The Court?” It’s the same issue as the original question with Zuuco’s interference with their family, only The Court of Owls is (non-negotiably) the worst between the two. 

Jeez, can’t these poor people just get a break? 

“Not sure yet.” Kori kept her eyes on the screen. As if she hadn’t already tortured herself by staring at the same face for days without end, she squinted as she tried to come up with anything new that could help speed along the process. Nothing came up, obviously, but it wasn’t like she was too heavy on expectancy. “Regardless, we can’t pinpoint an exact location with this information. I recommend that we send groups out to patrol Gotham nightly.” 

Jason can’t disagree, but Gotham is rather large. Even with all of his resources on hand and the favors that he could call in, that would take a while. Maybe even long enough for Talon to move around. “Talon’s not stupid enough to stay somewhere near our territory, let alone on it.” Or, perhaps cockiness might push him to do such a thing? Whatever the case, they didn’t have enough people. 

“We should start with the more...affluent...areas of Gotham.” Roy’s upper curled up, an obvious show of just how much he was gonna ‘enjoy’ that. “If he’s as successful as Two-Face has led up to believe, which he’s proven to be, then he’s got to have enough cash to live comfortably in this hellhole.” 

“Unless he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself.” Kori didn’t bother to deny Roy’s assumption, but Talon was an assassin before he was some spoiled elite. In accordance with most of the rules she understood, laying low and making your home in the shadows fell more into line with the vibes she got from him. Then again, the only other assassin she’s gotten “close enough” to judge was Deathstroke, and he was just...he was... _ something.  _ If Talon was anything like Slade, then she would be surprised. “He could be hiding out in a very small, perhaps, very empty neighborhood to keep things quiet. It would also allow him more money to spend on weapons or other necessary tools for a successful hunt.” 

Damn...if that didn’t make much more sense…

“Get his face out to your generals. I only want your most trusted in this case.” Jason could recognize when having more hands on deck brought assistance, just as he could acknowledge when it also brought unwanted trouble. They could stay with the higher chains and only resort to going lower if they were desperate. In his experience (mostly from the fact that he was the one who made promotion decisions), only ones who knew the drill really got to those high places. Skill and knowledge were not only required for ones’ own survival, but the continued success of their gang. It’d be really unfortunate if someone...not as experienced...accidentally let any details from their search slip into the waiting ears of their target. 

And all because they wouldn’t know any better than to shut the fuck up…!

“Have them start at the border of our territory and expand outwards.” Jason pushed himself out of his chair, followed by Roy and Kori. There wasn’t much left to discuss at this point. They could only rely on anything their teams brought back. Calling other crime bosses into this was something he’d need to think over. It could make the mission easier, but were the favors he had wracked up enough to get this going without too much of an explanation? 

Probably not. 

“I want this quick and quiet.” 

**_∾∾∾∾∾∾∾∾∾∾∾∾_ **

“Uhhhh...Red Hood, sir?” 

When Jason had envisioned ‘quick’, he didn’t imagine that he’d have Kori shoving a few of her people into his face the very next day. Before noon, no less.

“Tell him exactly what you told me.” Kori’s expression was less than livid. Though her voice was pretty cold, Jason could imagine her gaze being as hot as the seventh layer of Hell - burning away at any unworthy trash it dared stumble across. 

_ This should prove to be an interesting evening… _

“I...w-well...I-s-sir…” 

Jason couldn’t put a name on the guy, but the way he held himself and how horrible he was at hiding his unease could be a sign of being a simple lackey. It was only by the fact that he tested Kori that Jason didn’t call her out on getting someone unwanted involved. Well, that, and the fact that she was angry. This guy’s foolishness could easily be blamed on the fact that he knew he was in trouble with two of his leaders. 

(Kori didn’t have as bad or as dangerous of a reputation outside of the gang compared to Jason. Inside? Everyone knew that if you angered one, the remaining two commanders wouldn’t be too far behind. And wasn’t it just marvelous to have all three of your bosses pissed at you?) 

“Th-the...the p-person...the f-f-face…?” A hand was waved in front of the guy’s own as some sort of emphasis. As if Jason was that stupid, but he’d be merciful with his retort. For now. “I...w-well, I recognized-” 

“How?” Jason hasn’t been in this guy’s presence for long and he already wanted this to be done. The stuttering was annoying as fuck, despite the fact that Jason knew why the other was so nervous. Kori looked angrier with each moment that her subordinate failed to comply and it would only be a matter of time before she, too, lost it. 

“A...w-w-well…” The guy brought his hand to the back of his neck so he could scratch at it. His eyes had never met Jason’s out of fear for seeming disrespectful, but now they weren’t just staring away. They were firmly planted on the ground, neck hidden under the guys’ chin as if he was expecting Jason to take a swipe and rip it off. To be honest, at this point it was tempting. If only to get at the vocal cords and see if they would do more effective talking than this guy was. “We-I mean...I-I d-d-didn’t…” 

“He and some  _ friends  _ have been frequenting one of our establishments for the purpose of picking up prostitutes.” Kori crossed her arms over her chest. “He claims that a popular one in the area wears the same face as Talon, though the hairstyle and the tone of skin is different.” 

Jason nodded slowly, his own eyes narrowing as he really processed what that meant. It wasn’t that he had anything against prostitutes. As long as they weren’t hurting anyone ‘innocent’ or disturbing the business, then there wasn’t any reason for confrontation. Hell, even if he did, he had no right to judge them on what they had to do to survive when he was the fucking leader of the Red Hood Gang. Lord only knew what he had (and wanted, in some cases) to do in order to survive throughout his low-status days, let alone secure his power. However, just because he didn’t judge them didn’t mean he necessarily approved of them. The main reason? He knew from personal experience that most of them were underage. He didn’t have problems with adult men and women working as prostitutes, but those who were still technically minors? Children? 

Yeah, that wasn’t gonna fly. 

What really got to him - and Kori, for that matter - was the fact that this was all happening in one of his clubs. Without him knowing! The concern over underaged prostitutes kinda led him to position a militia around every one of his buildings so that they could make sure shit like that didn’t happen. With that in mind, it was no secret or surprise that most of those men and women found other places to go. Ones that didn’t poke and prod at things like ‘age’ or ‘safety’. Safe to say, this would be one of the first cases in months. 

Whoever this was, whether or not he was wearing Talon’s face, the quaking fucker before him had better be able to guarantee that they’ve been doing business with an adult. For their sake. 

“H-he’s...uhhhh...h-he’s m-more...he’s tan.” The guy tilted his head up a bit, exposing the way that his throat bobbed as he audibly swallowed. He still didn’t dare make eye-contact. “A-and...h-he...he had m-m-more h-hair…No undercut anywhere...” 

Jason took a few moments to recall Talon’s face. The white skin reference immediately struck him as non important. One could get a lot of shit done with things like tanning booths or simple makeup. It was odd to think about hair since it could easily be cut off or replaced with a wig, but he supposed that every detail counted. Only two differences and both could be explained by outside sources. It wasn’t very helpful. 

“Any noticeable wounds?” Those would be difficult to hide, no matter how much makeup you used. In fact, Jason would go as far to say that Talon wouldn’t risk covering those up with any sort of foundation or cream at all, lest he want to risk infecting them. And medical cream was never a good color for darkening or lightening ones’ skin tone. All of that was completely disregarding the fact that Talon likely wouldn’t risk working the streets while he was as injured as he was. 

“N-none.” 

“I did review some security tapes, though.” Kori uncrossed her arms and grabbed onto her subordinates shoulders. The way her nails sunk into the cloth-covered flesh almost had Jason wincing, not that he could say the same for the other guy. His knees practically buckled under the weight of her grip and the waves of disappointment coming off of her had to be similar to someone punching him in the spine. Since Jason had yet to hear any type of confirmation, he could only assume that all of his irritation was coming from the fact that the other guy had never given her enough proof to signify that this prostitute had been of age. 

That was the only reason Kori would be this upset about something like this. Again, nothing wrong with prostitutes if they were of legal age. 

“I managed to find the guy he was talking about. It was certainly...difficult…” She looked away a bit, almost in embarrassment. “...to get a good enough shot of his face. But the similarities are uncanny.” 

“If that’s the case, can we be sure this is a completely different person?” 

Or if this person was even related to Talon in any way? 

“I’ve arranged for one of Roy’s little scouts to scope the scene.” Kori would be manning the cameras to make sure things went smoothly, of course. On the small chance that this was Talon, he would be extra cautious with who he accepted into his company. “She’s been instructed to get some sort of DNA sample as quickly as possible and find a way to leave. No reason to go home with anyone in the case that this is Talon.” 

The possibilities of what could happen to Roy’s scout, should Talon figure out who she is, left even Jason shuddering a bit. He didn’t think this was truly Talon (for several reasons), but there wasn’t a sound reason to not investigate this...new discovery. 

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanna clarify that Jason doesn’t have any problems with prostitutes, in case that was confusing. He just knows that most of them (in this AU) are underaged. Because of that, there are harsh punishments for those in his gang that interacts with prostitutes if they can't verify that they are adults.   
> Other than that, here’s my [Tumblr](https://river-nix.tumblr.com/) if anyone wants to message me or find my Ko-Fi info, commissions are still open. Or if anyone wants to donate to support me, anything is appreciated. Thanks, everyone!


End file.
